


The Brotherhood without Banners Summer Camp

by IndigoDream



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Lyanna Is Alive, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Summer Camp, F/M, M/M, R plus L equals J
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-11
Updated: 2015-01-31
Packaged: 2018-03-07 04:45:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3161696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IndigoDream/pseuds/IndigoDream
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Her father always told her she was born at the wrong time, that she would have been a wonderful warrior if she had been born in the past. She feel it to. So when she is gifted by going to the best Summer Camp for those who act the old way, she doesn't hesitate, even if she will miss Bran. This is gonna be her redemption.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> First, I think a Hello may be appropriate! I would like to welcome you into my first published fanfiction on Gendry and Arya. This is my first fanfiction so be nice please! And I would love to answer to your comments, and if youfind a awful lot of error and mistakes, please don't hesitate to tell me, English is not my first language so if you want to be a beta-reader, please, come on, I'll gladly accept!  
> First, concerning the story, I must warn you, Arya and Jon never met, so I imagined Arya was really close with Bran, so it it bothers you, I'm really sorry but it's like that I imagine it if Jon had only been their cousin.  
> I will try to post a chapter a week, but I may fail and that will be times were I will beg for your pardon.

Arya was laughing hard on the back of her horse. Well, it wasn't technically _her_ horse, but she considered it as such. She felt like flying, riding through the forest on Robb's horse, Grey Wind. Indeed, the stallion was of a wonderful grey and he did have some of the rapidity of the wind. Arya would have loved to have a horse of her own and not borrow her brother's each time she went out for a ride. But she knew she could only have one at her eighteenth birthday and she was still two years away from it.

When she saw the walls of her house's stables, she slowed the horse's pace to reach the stables without too much noise. It was a lazy Sunday morning and usually she would stay in bed and sleep to no-end, but today was different. It was her sixteenth birthday and, as on each of her birthdays, she was up too early for her own good. And as usual when she couldn't sleep, she had go to a ride. And it had felt more than welcome. She slid down off the horse and took the reins in her left hand. She guided him to his stall and started taking care of him, falling into a routine. She felt the strong muscles of his legs as she checked if he hadn't been hurt during the galop. She loved doing this, as she loved riding horses; she always loved everything about horses. Her father always said she had the old blood in her, that she was the living image of his sister in her youth. And when he would say that, his eyes would always turn sad and she would feel guilty of a crime she didn't commit. Her aunt was a fierce woman who ran away in her youth, four months pregnant and who never spoke with any of his siblings, except a letter from a different country every time, once in a year, around Ned's birthday. They only knew she had keep her baby. She brushed these thoughts away as she stepped outside of the stables. She entered the house by the back door and hummed the air, smiling happily when she smelled her favorite breakfast: lemoncakes! She passed past the kitchen's door, seeing a flash of long bright auburn hair. She made her way to the bathroom, only to crash against the chest of one of her brothers. She rose her head and meet the blue eyes of her eldest brother, Robb, grinning in his towel.

**“Arya! You finally come down at a decent hour of the morning!”**

They laughed a bit. It was a joke between them. When she was still a child, she would climb into his bed and would shake him awake until he finally give in and took her to the stables, letting her play with the horses until they parents woke up.

**“Nope, brother. 'Was in the forest with Grey Wind. Why is everyone up so early, by the way?”**

Robb only gave her a mysterious winks and left to her alone the bathroom. She took her time for the shower, no-one would blame her to do so on her birthday. After ten minutes of burning water running down her body, she left the shower, wrapped herself in a towel, before crossing her house to get to her room. She put on a black jean ripped at the knees and a large grey shirt. She didn't make an effort on dressing fancily, this was a day she would pass only with her family. She get downstairs lazily and came into the living room, already imagining founding Bran in it. As she thought, Bran was in front of the TV, laying down on the couch with a book in his lap and concentrated while writing on his phone.

**“Let me guess, you are texting Jojen?”**

He smiled and blushed and she bit back a laugh, messing with her brother's hair when she sat on one of the armrest. She took the book on his lap and smiled as she read the title.

**“The Lord of the Rings! I know you were my brother, I taught you right!”**

**“Taught me? I'm sorry but which one of us can teach the other?”**

**“Aww, don't play the smart ass with me on my birthday. Are you gonna wish it to me or are we the only family that doesn't wish each other's birthdays?”**

**“Hmm. Don't know. Maybe I want to wait you open your gifts for that.”**

**“Gifts? I have more than one? Oh pleasant surprise!”**

**“We always have an awful amount of gift we never finish to open in one day. Don't be so dramatic.”**

She laughed and messed again with his hair. She turned her head to the TV and tried to determine what it was. She eventually give up and doesn't bother asking her brother, he would play the smart ass again. So she sat silently while playing softly with her brother's hair. Bran and her had a special bond. She did had good relationships with her siblings, but with Bran it was different. They always shared everything. As an example, Arya was the only one who knew about Bran's secret-boyfriend, Jojen Reed. And he was the only who knew she was taking a modern dance class and she liked that well-enough. But dance wasn't her passion. What she loved was fencing, archery and riding a horse. She couldn't imagine her life without it. She was at ease with Bran, it was easer with him than with anyone, he was her other half, her complementary part. They could have been twin if it were for their complementarity or their behavior towards each other, if it wasn't for their physical ressemblances. While Arya was softly curling the already curly brown hair of Bran, he was texting Jojen and let her read if she wanted. They sat like that during a long time, before she heard a car parking outside. She turned her head to the door and then to Bran. She rose an eyebrow and stood up. Bran took her hand and she smiled to him, helping him to stood up.

**“Who's outside, Bran?”**

**“Go to the kitchen.”**

**“Brandon Jon Stark, tell me who's outside.”**

**“I can't, so, Arya Lyanna Stark, go to the kitchen or to your room.”**

**“Bran...”**

He gave her a amused look and she groaned loudly, making her way back to her room. She knew it was a surprise so she took a book and tried to drown her into it. It was one of those Bran gave her at one time but she hadn't read it yet. This one was called Story of the Unknown world. As far as she was in it, she loved it. Downstairs, she heard muffled voices and excited squeaks. She was more and more intrigued and she couldn't wait to discover her gifts. It must have been something really enormous if her parents had hide it outside of the house propriety. She tried to concentrate on her book and sighed in relief when she heard Bran's voice outside the door.

**“Ar'? You fancy coming?”**

**She ran to her door and opened it to saw him smirking, a tissue in his hands.**

**“No. Bran, no. I'm not doing that.”**

**“Oh you are. You are gonna put that damn tissue on your eyes and let me lead you downstairs, or Mom will curse us both and we are never gonna heard the end of this.”**

**“... You may have the right argument.”**

She sighed and let her brother tie the cloth in front of her eyes. She took his hand and he led her downstairs. She recognized the way to the kitchen and smiled, smelling the lemoncakes all the way.

**“Bran, give me an indice, for my own sake!”**

**“Nope, sista.I'm not gonna give some crucial information just because you were begging for.”**

She heard him open the door and she stepped inside the kitchen, hearing muffled whispers and exciment filling the piece.

 **“Bran”** she heard her father say, **“Take this out of her eyes. She can see now.”**

Her father's voice was strangely tight and emotional when Bran took off the tissue from her eyes. She let her eyes closed for a few seconds before opening them slowly. She was greeted by all of her family and two new faces. It was a woman, who was strangely similar to Eddard Stark and to the idea of an older herself Arya had, and a boy/man. He was the exact portrait of Arya in a male version. It was disturbing, but by the stranger's expression, she could tell he felt the same. It was so unusual for her to see someone with the same long face, the same steely grey eyes, the same curly dark hair. She blinked several times, staring at the strangers before turning her eyes to her father. _Who are they?_ She asked silently.

**“Arya, let me introduce you to your aunt, Lyanna Stark, and her son, Jon Stark.”**

Arya's mouth never gapped so open.


	2. Chapter 2

Now, she was officially shocked forever. Did her father just say it was his sister and her son, so his nephew, who were standing in front of her? Gods, it was really them. She might die from embarassment for not having even recognized her aunt, even if everyone always tell her she looked just like Lyanna. Gods, she was even named after her, if middle name mattered.

 

She shook her head, trying to get back on her mind, and made a small, shy smile.

 

“ **It's nice to finally meet you, Lyanna! I'm Arya!'**

 

The woman made a big, bright smile and took Arya's hands in hers. Lyanna was really a beautiful woman, with a face made for smiling and Arya only wished to be like her aunt when she would grow older.

 

“ **No need to be so formal, Arya. And you can call me Aunt Lya, it's shorter than 'Aunt Lyanna', don't you think?”**

 

“ **Yeah...Okay, aunt Lya... Nice to meet you Jon!”**

 

The older boy – he seemed to be older than Robb, maybe a year?- made a small shy smile and looked at her siblings.

 

“ **So, hmm, why are you here?”**

 

“ **Well, first, it's obliviously your birthday. Second, Ned asked me to be your birthday present, so I couldn't tell no. And I kinda missed my brother...And Jon wanted to meet his cousins!”**

 

Arya noticed a flash of bright red colouring her cousin's face and smiled a bit. He had the same dark curls than her, shorter but who made the color of his face more apparent.

 

“ **So... You are my gift?”**

 

“ **Not really, but where we will take you will be your gift from your parents.”**

 

“ **Sorry but... Take me where?”**

 

She turned her steely grey eyes to her father and mother, who looked so happy she couldn't stop herself to smile a bit more. Her father came near her and took her hand in his.

 

“ **We found out that Lyanna directed a summer camp, called the Brotherhood without Banners-”**

 

“ **That's you who created this? It's just the best camp for riding and archery and fencing and everything Middle-Age! It's just the thing I have dream about for years! It's not possible, I didn't know it was you who created it! You are like my hero!”**

 

Lyanna laughed and Arya smiled again, discovering a bit more of herself in this woman who was her aunt.

 

“ **Oh my gods, you are taking me there, aren't you?”**

 

She could have cry of joy but she only gave the biggest hug of her life to her father before coming to her aunt and, a bit shyly, hugging her. The woman was all love and joy and she hugged back her niece.

 

“ **Thank you, thank you, thank you!”**

 

“ **You didn't let us finish...”**

 

She turned to her father, intrigued and excited.

 

“ **There is more than that?”**

 

“ **Yes. Because Lyanna will let you live in a house with Jon, we decided to give you something else, but unfortunately, it is not here, it's only to the Summer Camp for the moment.”**

 

“ **But... It's already enormous, Dad, Mom! 'The Brotherhood without Banners' Summer Camp! I can't accept anything else!”**

 

Her mom smiled and took some papers on the table and gave them to her.

 

“ **Before saying that, you should read them and look at the photos.”**

 

Arya did as she was told and she read the papers, aware that all eyes were on her. She began to understand slowly and rose her head, almost crying of joy this time.

 

“ **You... You bought me a horse?”**

 

“ **Yeah Arya.”**

 

“ **But... I thought we can only have one at our eighteenth birthday?”**

 

“ **Because your brother and sister don't show as much interest in it as you do.”**

 

This time, Arya hugged both her parents and all of her family, even her cousin and her aunt. Jon stiffened a bit but smiled and messed with her short hair. She decided she liked him immediately and kissed his cheek before going back to Bran and jumping happily near him, dragging him into a cheerful dance. He laughed and kissed her cheeks.

 

“ **I told you you will be happy!”**

 

“ **You knew all the time and you didn't tell me anything! You little liar!”**

 

She messed his curly hair she had so patiently arranged less than two hours ago. They were laughing now and Arya turned her head to the rest of her family. They were all smiling and she gave a second look to the photos of her horse. _Her horse._ It was so exciting, even just thinking about it! Watching the pictures of the white animal, she noticed it was a mare and a English thoroughbred, nothing less! A horse for a queen. She already longed to galop with the beautiful mare, and to feel the puissant muscles when she would take care of her. She was gonna love that horse more than anything she had ever loved before. She noticed the saddle, a beautiful thing delicate, as valuable as the horse she estimated. She rose her head again to meet Sansa's eyes and the redhead smiled tenderly.

 

“ **The saddle... You bought it, Sansa?”**

 

“ **I chose it but I had to ask Bran for the color and the form, he knew which one you would prefer. I wanted you to forgive me for everything horrible I had done last year and I hope this will do.”**

 

Last year, during their schooltime, Sansa had been horrible to Arya. And Arya had acted equally bad with her. The two sisters couldn't stay in the same piece without threats pronounced. But Arya had understand it was because of Sansa's boyfriend, Joffrey Baratheon. They had break up two months ago after Joffrey tried to blackmail Sansa in making a sex-tapes. Arya had heard Joffrey threats and she had beat him, leaving him bruised. Sansa had then told everything to their parents and the two sisters were getting along pretty well since. Arya hugged her sister and whispered a 'Thanks' in her ear before going back to the center of the room.

 

“ **So... When are we going there, Aunt Lya, Jon?”**

 

This time, it was Jon who answered and she smiled while hearing his voice.

 

“ **Well, we have to go there in maximum two days so, we were thinking of going tomorrow.”**

 

“ **Tomorrow! It's awesome! I can't believe it! Seriously, thank you very very very much, Aunt Lya, Jon. It means the world for me. But I believed the programm didn't start before two weeks?”**

 

“ **Well, yeah, but as a director, I have to go back there, make sure everything is ready for the arrival of the students and training the new animators a bit. If you want to help, you are welcome! Jon is one of our best animators since he's sixteen and I believe you are not so different of him. I will be a bit busy but Jon will show you around and introduce you to everyone.”**

 

She grinned at her aunt and cousin before looking at the papers again.

 

“ **I will love it! It's seriously the most amazing thing someone ever offer to me! You guys have give me the best thing in the world!”**

 

They laughed and she hugged everyone again and they start eating the lemoncakes Sansa has made. The day passed slowly, a bit like in a dream, and she learnt to know her cousin, with whom she had an awful lot of common things. She was so excited, she babbled like a child and she had some difficulties going back on earth. But she was still a bit sad, she didn't want to let her brother, she had hope that the time she would go there, he would be with her, and she could escape meeting new peoples. She was a bit scared by that part. She wasn't so much a social person as her sister was. She hadn't much friends, but those she had, she knew them since her childhood, and she could have trust Meera or Jojen with her life. But then, she didn't have to trust these people the same way, she could just try to be nice with them. She stood up late that night, talking with Bran and reading out loud the favorite parts of the books they shared with each other. They were curled around each other and he had even told Jojen he couldn't pass time with him, prefering having time with his sister before she get away for two long months.

 

Bran was gonna miss him, and she was definitely gonna feel the same, but they had promised each other they will text each night and try to call at least twice a week. When finally, they dazed off to sleep, they didn't leave each other embrace and, as much as it was uncomfortable to sleep in one-place bed for two people, nothing stopped them to be so clamped to each other. Arya had her head put in his shoulder and her arms all around his waist and the two of them never seemed to be more a pair of twins for their parents when they came to wake them up in the morning. The goodbyes were gonna be difficult for them, and it was heartbreaking to see that.

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

When they went to the plane, Arya was still excited but everything that happened so fast and made her 'break up' with her brother was breaking a bit her heart. As they had thought it, the goodbyes were hard for Arya and Bran and she couldn't help but feeling a bit stressed for him, all alone with their family who didn't know about him and Jojen. And she hadn't say goodbye to her friends, but she counted on Bran to tell them, as they had the same friends. When they sat on their place, her aunt smiled at her and must have feel her anxiety because she took her hand and striked it lightly.

 

“ **Don't worry Arya. If anything goes wrong for you, or you don't feel at your ease in the camp, you can come back to your home. I just hope everything will be fine, Ned told me you were really good with horses and I kind of hoped you could help us with the young horses. We have some yearlings and the stablesboy I hired never really take care of them before, so I hoped you could do that, on your time off. Of course, you will have time to relax, we have some hot springs in the wood, if you take the time to search them.”**

 

She winked at her niece and kept her hand in hers. Arya took her time to answer, not wanting her aunt to take her for a dumb.

 

“ **Well, I know it's gonna be really great. I look forward to this since I discovered about this place. But I worry for my brother Bran. Usually we do everything together and he helps me to calm my mood, 'cause sometimes I'm a bit... Lunatic. But he is like, the great spirit of the family, and I'm like the fire so they say it was really surprising we go along that well. So yeah, when I'm far from him, it's like a part of me is away and I'm not totally here. And it may seems crazy to you, because we are not twins, but he really is my other half. So, the only worry I have is that something is gonna go wrong for Bran and I won't be there for him.”**

 

Her aunt smiled a bit distently and Arya realized what she has say. She had never told that to anyone she had meet before, or not so quickly at least. When her aunt answered, she was really serious.

 

“ **I understand what you are saying, Arya. I hadn't consider this when I invited you and your parents didn't tell me. I know what you are feeling, I was really close to my young brother, Benjen, and when I... Well, when I left my family, it broke my heart to leave him behind and to tell him nothing. But he forgave me many years ago and now he works with me at the summer camp. I made him promise to tell nothing to Ned because I wanted to be by myself, to not have to rely on your father as I would have inevitably do, because your father was the wise and the intelligent of us four, and he was doing so good in life, I didn't wanted for him to bear his useless sister as a weight. For you and Bran, I think that you are even closer than me and Benjen were. We could quit each other for court time period and we had different friends. You and Bran have a sacred relationship between brother and sister and I can tell that whenever you argue together, you can't stay mad at each other for long, am I wrong?”**

 

Arya smiled a bit and nodded to tell Lyanna she was right. She could count on the fingers of her right hand the number of time she and Bran had seriously argued. Lyanna went on in her speech.

 

“ **What I want to say is whatever happens, you and your brother are always gonna have this special relationship. And if you are really so worried about him, you can call him whenever you want. And if he wants it, he can come over for some weeks, one or two. And it's absolutely not crazy.”**

 

“ **Thanks, Aunt Lya. It really matters to me that you think Bran and I aren't weird.”**

 

“ **It's nothing, Arya. You should rest a bit now.”**

 

Arya nodded and slept during the flight. She only awoke when Jon touched slightly her shoulder.

 

“ **Arya? We landed, we have to go down now...”**

 

“ **Oh... Thanks Jon...”**

 

She rose and stretched herself, yawning like a cat. She took her backpack and followed Jon and her aunt to the airport. When they arrived into the main hall, she saw a tall man, certainly taller than Robb, even if it wasn't that difficult, with a placard where 'STARK' was wrote in black, with a smiley at the end of the name. Her cousin moved a bit faster to shake the man's hand. Her aunt turned her head to her and smile.

 

“ **This is one of our employee, he was one of the first students and he is really good friend with Jon.”**

 

Arya nodded and she eyed the man as they went closer. He was broad, but in a good way. She could see his muscles move under the sleeves of his jacket when Aunt Lya hugged him as if he was her son. Jon took her hand and made her come closer.

 

“ **Arya, this is my friend Gendry Waters. Gendry, this is my cousin Arya, she is one of our student for this summer.”**

 

She smiled to Gendry and he returned the smile.

 

“ **Nice to meet you, Arya. I knew Jon and Lyanna were meeting their family, I didn't expect this family to be that similar. I have the impression you are some malefic triplets, it's quite disturbing.”**

 

She laughed and felt her apprehension fell apart as he was joking.

 

“ **For my part, I won't tell for the malefic part, but for the triplets part, are we that similar?”**

 

The way he laughed, she could tell he thought so.

 

“ **Well, I couldn't decide which one of you two was Lyanna when you came closer, even if I recognized the hair.”**

 

She laughed and heard Lyanna et Jon were laughing too.

 

“ **So, we are leaving for the Brotherhood without Banners, m'ladies, m'lord?”**

 

Gendry's tone was playful but it didn't stop Arya to punch him on the arm.

 

“ **Try to remember that, I'm not a fucking lady.”**

 

He laughed and led the way to the car, an old Jeep. She sat in the back, her backpack with her and her luggage in the back, with Jon's and Lyanna's. Jon sat in the front with Gendry and Lyanna sat near Arya. She heard the two mens chatting and chuckling and she could swore she had seen Gendry give her some quick glances in his rear view mirror. She tried to concentrate on the road and watched as giant trees passed on her view and when they stopped, she was amazed of what she saw. This was ten times better than she had expected it. It was paradise and earth at the same time. The houses weren't houses, it was more of a chalet and she could see in the distance the stables. She almost ran to her new horse but then she remembered she was with her family and Gendry, and she managed to look a bit embarassed by her behavior. They just laughed a bit and Lyanna and Jon took her affairs.

 

“ **Go explore, sweetie. I will install your things in your room and then Jon will come and bring you back.”**

 

“ **Oh... You're not coming with me?”**

 

“ **Well, I have to see Thoros and Beric quickly and Jon has to review tne new recruits... But Gendry is free, he can show you around, if you want?”**

 

“ **Hmm... Well if this doesn't annoy you, Gendry?”**

 

The older boy only smiled and she was almost thinking he was blushing when he started walking to the stables. She waved to her aunt and to her cousin before joining Gendry.

 

“ **Wow, you walk really fast, you know that?”**

 

“ **Sorry m'lady, courtesy of being tall.”**

 

She punched him again on the shoulder and he laughed.

 

“ **Don't call me milady!”**

 

“ **As m'lady commands!”**

 

She punched him again and he laughed loudly this time.

 

“ **Well that was unladylike, I hope you know that!”**

 

She punched him hard this time and he fell but he only laughed more before standing up, a smile tugging his lips.

 

### 

### “Well, come on, you wanna see the stables, I think?”

 

**“How wise of you, Gendry.”**

  


“ **Whatever Arry. I know there is some new horses, we even have one who isn't one of ours, like, who the hell can pay his own horse and can't keep it with him?”**

  


She shifted a bit uncomfortably, understanding he was certainly speaking of her mare, and he gave her an odd look, trying to understand why she was so embarassed.

  


“ **Something wrong, Arry?”**

  


“ **Well first, you know that my name is Arya, isn't it? And second, it's likely my new horse you are talking about.”**

  


He stared at her in disbelief before seeing she was death-serious.

  


“ **Shit, I'm sorry, I didn't mean, well, I didn't want to upset, you just doesn't seem that rich or... or nothing. And yeah, I know your name is Arya but I kinda liked 'Arry' but if you want I'll stop.”**

  


He was really sincere, she could tell by his blue eyes widening and his face all panicked and serious at the same time. It was really amazing how much she could read his emotion on his face.

  


“ **Okay, no big deal, you didn't know, got it, don't worry. And well, I kinda like how you say 'Arry', it makes me seem dangerous, so I like it.”**

  


She smiled and he relaxed before starting to walk to the stables again. This was gonna be a long day, and she couldn't wait to tell everything to Bran.

  


 


	4. Chapter 4

When Gendry opened the stalle with a whispered “After you m'lady”, she kicked his ankle and looked at the mare. The animal was beautiful. She was made for the race and Arya couldn't wait to ride her into the woods near her propriety. She put her hand on the back of the horse and started examining her, gently, carefully, not wanting to hurt her during this short time. She was amazed by the beauty and the promised qualities of the horse while she ran her hand down the mare's leg. The animal was calm and let Arya take care of her without rebellion. Arya was completely lost in her thoughts when Gendry's voice woke her up.

  
  


“ **So... How is she called? There is no name on the door.”**

  
  


She jumped slightly, having totally forgotten about his presence.

  
  


“ **Well, I didn't really name her or think about it for the moment... Maybe some historical name. I will ask my brother when I will call him later.”** She finally answered.

  
  


He nodded and watched her during few minutes, staring at her with curiosty badly hidden in his eyes before he moved towards the door and leaned against it. She kissed her mare's muzzle and came closer to him. He said nothing and lead her out of the stalle and out of the stables when she finished her goodbye to her mare.

  
  


“ **So, um... You have a brother, uh?”**

  
  


She laughed and let him lead the way.

  
  


“ **More than one! Hell, I have three of them, and even one sister! More siblings than everyone I know!”**

  
  


He smiled and his blue eyes sparkled with excitement when she told him that. The color of them reminded her of something she couldn't quite remember at the moment and she made a promise to herself to ask Bran about blue-eyed people they knew when she would call him.

  
  


“ **You're lucky! I wish I had at least one.”**

  
  


She stared at him a few seconds, the feeling of knowing him already still here before she answered.

  
  


“ **You are only child?”**

  
  


He didn't answer and stopped at a door and put his hand on it before pushing it slowly and made her enter by patting her in the back. She fell into a new universe when she saw the place. It was like a new world.

  
  


“ **Meet the love of my life, my forge!”**

  
  


She laughed at that and started exploring the place, touching and caressing the metal with soft hands. Gendry watched her run around the forge and sat on a bed in a corner of the piece, half hidden by a curtain. She ran and examined everything during a few minutes before she settled down and sat on the floor in front of him.

  
  


“ **I assume that's where you work?”**

  
  


“ **Well, I can't say I can do anything else, m'lady.”**

  
  


“ **Oh, stop calling me that! It's silly, I have nothing in common with a lady! You... You bullheaded blacksmith!”**

  
  


He laughed loudly and she wondered if he laughed that much with everyone. The sound made her smile anyway and soon enough she was laughing too, without any apparent reason. When they finished laughing, they stared at each other and Arya stopped a laugh mid-course, still not totally finished with her laugh.

  
  


He had quickly noticed she wasn't like her cousin at all, if not for the looks. She was all movement and excitement where Jon was calm and control. It was a nice change, Gendry thought, watching her smile widening every second.

  
  


“ **So, do you realise, Arry, that's your insult was fucking ridiculous? I'm just, like, a real one blacksmith!”**

  
  


“ **Yeah, well, excuse me to not come with any better when I know for what, two hours?”**

  
  


He chuckled and messed with his hair with his right hand, still smiling at her.

  
  


“ **So, you were telling you had siblings? Tell me, how many others Stark have the same look than Jon, Lyanna and you?”**

  
  


“ **Well, apart from my father, no one. They took from my mother's family, redheaded and blue-eyed. Well my little brothers may have a bit darker hair and even brown with some light, but they are all blue-eyed at least. So, no danger for you, we are not so similar to each other, if they come there, they will be pretty recognizable. But I doubt they will ever come.”**

  
  


He looked at her again and she smiled.

  
  


“ **And you? You said you didn't have one?”**

  
  


“ **Yeah, well, I don't have any siblings, that the only thing that can be say, y'know.”**

  
  


They fell into a comfortable silence before Arya started look around her like a child again, before spotting a sword in the opposite corner and stood to reach it and rose it with her right-hand. It was a long sword, heavier than what she had use before for fencing, but the weight wasn't too much for her and she managed to raise the sword to a good height. She felt her arm trembling and she put her second hand on it, sighing in relief when she felt the rising tension in her right arm fall. She started her so well-known water dance and, even if this was harder than with her little sword _Needle_ , she found it quite amazing how this sword managed to fit into her hands and she took on her to fence with only her left hand.

  
  


Sitting on the bed, Gendry was watching her do that and he let her be. He watched carefully her movements. He couldn't decide how she managed to be that graceful with a sword as heavy as this one. It was an old one, it had been hanged at the wall two years ago and he never took it away, if it wasn't for cleaning the forge. She was now fencing, well, dancing would have been a better description of it. She had the sword in her left hand and he could see the concentrated look on her face while she moved. It was truly amazing to realize how much the girl was careless of his presence now. She had entered a world of her own, as much a he did when he was forging. She stopped when the sword was certainly too heavy for her after the use and she hanged it back, before turning around and noticing his presence again. He grinned and she bit back a self-satisfied grin back.

  
  


“ **You found a weapon, m'lady?”**

  
  


She laughed again and came closer to him, punching him on the shoulder. He winced by the force she had put in her blow.

  
  


“ **Well, at least I know you are dangerous now, maybe should I stay away from you, Arry?”**

  
  


“ **Maybe you should, blacksmith! Who knows,I could be a dangerous assassin whose only wish is to harm you, master blacksmith.”**

  
  


She had lowered her voice while teasing him and the sudden intensity of her stare made him shiver a bit before laughing.

  
  


“ **Well, I don't doubt that, Arry.”**

  
  


They challenged each other some seconds again before laughing. He rose and smiled to her. She was really small, compared to him, and her short not-totally-but-still-a-bit-curly brown hair made her seems smaller. But her eyes were a different matter. They were grey, greyer than Jon's, and more profound. Like a wild animal's eyes, full of life and at same time, deadly dangerous. He shook these thoughts away and went to the door, opening it again.

  
  


“ **Oh, we are leaving?”**

  
  


“ **Well if you want to visit the camp, it would be better, y'know, for seeing things.”**

  
  


“ **Oh, don't play smart on me, Waters!”**

  
  


Her tone was playful and he couldn't help but messing with her hair when she passed near him. She jumped away from his hand and looked at him. He decided she was really alike with wild animals, all reactions and glaring. She was definitly glaring at him now and he chuckled a bit at her expression.

  
  


“ **Don't you dare make fun of me, Waters. I might be little, but it doesn't mean I can't give you hell.”**

  
  


He grinned and her stone-like look fell heavy on him. He had make a mistake and he knew it.

  
  


“ **Apologies, m'lady. A poor bastard blacksmith couldn't know your ways, m'lady. Will you forgive me, now, m'lady?”**

  
  


She watched him curtsy and she cursed at his stupid but really funny acting before laughing a bit, all resentment gone from her when he curtsied a second time and then a third time.

  
  


“ **Will you stop doing that, stupid? It's really fucking stupid and I feel silly just watching you doing that!”**

  
  


“ **Well, if m'lady will accept my apology then I shall stop, but not before!”**

  
  


And with this dramatic tone, he courtsied again, feeling as much stupid as she was telling him he was acting.

  
  


“ **Well, master Blacksmith, I accept your apology but you are from now and for ever, in debt to my royal person!”**

  
  


She was taking part in the game and they both laughed at her answer. The light was back in her eyes and he was truly happy to not have made her angry. It would have been a loss, in a so beautiful day, to make her angry. It started leading her around, showing her the archery training field and the pool. He was taking her to the relaxation center when Jon showed up.

  
  


“ **I looked for you everywhere, where were you?”**

  
  


“ **Well, we were visiting? Gendry was showing me a bit the camp.”**

  
  


Jon had been running and he took his time to found his breath back before talking again.

  
  


“ **Oh, okay, I thought you would stay at the stables just. Anyway, Gendry, we have a meeting with the staff in ten minutes, I will take Arya to our chalet and come right after, can you tell that to them?”**

  
  


“ **Ay, no problem, mate. See ya, Arry.”**

  
  


She waved a bit and smiled

  
  


“ **See ya, Gendry.”**

  
  


She then followed Jon to their chalet and he let her in with hesitation, not quite sure if he could leave her there all alone.

  
  


“ **Don't worry Jon, I'll call Bran so I won't be all alone. Go to your meetings, I wouldn't want Aunt Lya to be upset 'cause you're late, specially if it's because of me.”**

  
  


“ **Okay, then. If you have any problems, you call me ok? I let our numbers on a paper in the kitchen.”**

  
  


She nodded and he left. Immediatly, she took her phone out of her packpack and started dialing hr brother's number. She wanted to tell him what she had already discover, even if she would probably call him again in the night, she was sure he wouldn't blame her or anything.

  
  


“ **So, how's the summer camp, Ar'?”** was his way of answering.

  
  


“ **Well, it's bigger than what I had thought. And the stables are really amazing. And I met my new horse, she's wonderful!”**

  
  


She started telling him about her day, about the two hours she had pass with Gendry, exploring the camp and discovering everything. He told her about his new date with Jojen Reed in a bit less than three hours and they made a plan for making him and Jojen coming there during summer. She laughed and they began search a name for her mare, until Bran proposed _Nymeria_. It was the perfect name for her new horse. The true Nymeria was a Rhoynar Queen and one of her favorite historical figure. She thanked Bran during endless minutes, before he made her notice he had a date with Jojen and he must prepare a bit and, at his biggest regret,he had to hang up, but they could continue texting anyway. She hanged up and they started texting. The phone call had last one hour and a half and her cousin still wasn't back, so she decided she could make herself food. She cooked some pasta and a steak, her capacities in cooking weren't really high. 

 

 


End file.
